Production oe sound-record tablets



W. W. MCWILLIAMS.

PRODUCTION OF SOUND RECORD TABLETS. APPLICATION FILED APR. I2. I9l9.

1,323,197. y Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

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WILLIAM W.`1VI 0WILLIA1VIS, 0F EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIkLlOlEt.T0l NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, 0F WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 0E NEW JERSEY.

PRODUCTION OF SOUND-'RECORD TABLETS.

Patenten New.. es, wie.

Application led April 12, 1919. Serial No. 289,575.

To all whom t may concern.'

tating machine on which the same is placed and which may also be easily and readily@- removed from such mandrel.

Another object of my invention is to provide a sound record tablet of this character which may be readily and smoothly, slipped into place on the phonograph mandrel without incurring any substantial liability of chipping off inner portions of the tablet, and without danger of cracking the tablet or, in the case of a sound record, the backing or inner portion of the record, both of which things are likely to happen in the case of the usual form of cylindrical sound record tablets havingl rifling on the inside thereof.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a cylindrical sound record tablet, the whole of which or the main inner portion of which, as, for example, in the case of a sound record consisting of a thin groove therein and a comparatively thick backing for such tube, is preferably formed of a Inoldable material such aswax, waxlike material or plaster of Paris, and which is stronger and more free from internal strains than the usual forms of cylindrical sound record tablets having riied bores.

My invention also resides in the method of making my improved sound record tablet and the molding device employed in carrying out such method.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is directed to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a central vertical sectional View of the molding device employed in making lmy improved record. tablet, showing a tablet cast therein; and

F ig. 2 is a longtiudinal sectional view of a preferred form of sound record tablet in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing and especially to Fig. l, reference character 1 represents a hollow cylindrical mold mounted in a vertical position on a suitable base or support 2 and having a bore of uniform diameter.l

The lower end of mold lis provided with a ange which is suitably secured to the base or support 2 so that the opening or passageway through the mold registers with an opening 3 formed-in the base 2 and preferably of the same diameter as the opening in the mold.

Reference character 4 represents a corc willich is provided with a series of adjacent ystepped sections 5 which are preferably of equal length and substantially cylindrical, although such sections preferably have a very slight taper inwardly from the base or lower end to the upper end thereof, A

Vin order to provide the usual draft necessary to enable the core to be readily withdrawn from the molded tablet. The steppedsections 5 are of uniformly decreasing diameter from one end of the series to the other, the difference in diameter between any two adjacent sections, however, being slight,l and the peripheries of the upper and lower ends of such sections are respectively located in common conical surfaces. Core 4 is provided with an annular flange 6 at the lower end of the series of stepped sections 5 which is adapted to t closely within the bore of mold l, and with a stem 7 projecting downwardly from said Hange 6 for enabling the core to be readily moved either by hand or mechanically to or from the position shown.

In making a lso d record tablet with the molding apparatus described-above, the core 4 is first moved by means of steam 7, to the position shown in Fig. 1, inwhich the ange 6 engages and forms a closure for the bore of mold 1 'adjacent the lower end thereof and also serves to hold the core substantially centrally of the mold. In case it is desired to produce a reinforced tablet, a hollow conical reinforcing element 8 preferably formed of cloth or other suitable fabric, 1s

` of the tablet extends,

then placed` in the mold l over the portion of the core provided with the stepped scctions 5. The reinforcing element 8 is preferably of such size and so formed that when. positioned as described, its inner surface will have peripheral contact with the upper ends of all of the steppedv sections 5 ncept the uppermost of such sections. Molten or liquid wan, waslilre material, or other mata rial 9 of which the tablet is to be formed is then poured into the mold 1 around the core l therein until such mold is filled This materia-l will completely impregnate and penetrate the fabric reinforcing element 8 and fill the Ismall annular spaces between such element and the stepped sections 5 of core e so that the tablet when hardened, will be provided inwardly of the reinforcing element 8 with a series of very thin stepped sections 10' which are of uniformlydecreasing diameter from one end of said series to the other. The material 9 is then allowed to set or harden, during which, in case the same consists of wax or waalilre substance, it will contract, and the upper end portion of the cast or molded tablet in the mold will therefore 'assume a shape similar to that indicated at 11. The end portion 11 of the tablet is then cut off until all the material above the dotted line 12 in Fign 1 is removed. The cast or molded tablet may now be removed from the mold 1 and the core l from the tablet in either of the following ways: j

(l) By bodily raising the tablet and core in the mold from molding position with a straight line movement by means of they stem 7, and then removing the core from the tablet by a relative straight line movement thereof, as by moving the tablet upwardly with respect to the core or the core downwardly with respect to the tablet.

(2) By withdrawing the core 4 from the tablet with a relative straight line movement as by pulling downwardly on stem 7, and then withdrawing the tablet from the mold by a relative straight line movement thereof.

l'n either case, should the outer surface of the tablet be provided with a record groove, it is necessary of course, that the tablet first be contracted or shrunk with respect to the mold before attempting to withdraw the same therefrom.

Both ends of the tablet are now finished to the form shown in Fig. 2. The bore of the blank is then preferably reamed so that the stepped sections 10 thereof will respectively be provided with spaced tapered surface portions 13 comprising parts of a common conical surface and inwardly of which no part and. surface portions 14 respectively disposed between the adjacent surface portions 13 and which taper outwardly with respect thereto. It will be seen that one end of Yeach surface portion uentl in makin@ such a tablet ene reaniin operation may also be omitted, as the peripheries of the lower ends of the stepped sections 10 will be in the same and a common conical surface both before and after the plaster of Paris hardens.

lt will be seen that there is but a small amount of the material 9 of which the 85 tablet B shown in Fig. 2 is formed, in the stepped sections 10, that is, in those parts of the tablet inwardly ofthe fabric reinforcing element 8, and that there is but little difference in diameter between the adjacent ends of any two stepped sections. Accordingly, the inner surface or bore of the tablet B will Ibe comparatively smooth and the tablet may be easily and smoothly slipped onto a phonograph mandrel without danger of the bore being subjected to hard knocks by the end of the mandrel. Moreover, there is not sufficient body of material in the stepped sections 10 to transmit cracks through the reinforcing element to the main portion of the tablet, the tendency of this material being to scale olf rather than to crack when struck by the end of the mandrel.

' The bore of my improved tablet, when applied to the mandrel of a phonograph, will Contact with the mandrel only on thet tapered spaced surface portions 13 thereof in the form of the tablet B shown in Fig.

2, or on spaced circular elements dened by the peripheries of the lower ends of the stepped sections 10 where the bore of the tablet is not reamed, and consequently the frictional grip with which the tablet is held j onto the mandrel will not be such as to prevent the same being readily removed when desired.

In sound record tablets having rifled bores and which are cast in molds about cores having rifling thereon` the internal strains produced in the material of Which the tablets are formed as such material hardens are intensified because of the varying thickness of the tablet due to the presence of the riflings. These internal strains are very objectionable, as they render the tablet more liable to crack when subjected to shock, changes in temperature, and other conditions. Such internal strains are largely done away with in my improved tablet duc to the fact that the tablet is of substantially i uniformly varying thickness from one end thereof to the other.

Tablets such as shown in Fig. 2 are considerably stronger than similar tablets having riied bores, due to the fact that the deep grooves formed by the riiiings are largely eliminated, being replaced by the material of which the tablet is formed, and consequently there is more material in a tabletcf a given diameter made in accordance with my invention than in the usual ritled tablet. Moreover, the reinforcing element 8 may be located considerably nearer the innermost surface of the bore of a dictating machine blank made in accordance with my 'invention and the same may therefore be shaved to the lower limit with less danger of breakage than in the case of a dictating machine blank provided with a rifled bore.

While l have described the preferred forms of sound record tablets in accordance with my invention and the preferred apparatus and method employed in making the same, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departure from the spirit of the invention andthe scope of the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A hollow cylindrical sound record tab-v let, comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which is formed of concentric adjacent stepped sections respectively having portions in a common conical surface inwardly of which no part of the tablet extends, and portions at an angle to said first portions and respectively intersecting the latter. substantially as described.

Q. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet comprising a. main portion, the inner surface of which consists of concentric adjacent stepped sections respectively having tapered portions located in a common conical surface, and portions respectively extending between the adjacent tapered portions and inclining outwardly with respect to such conical surface, substantially as described.

3. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which has a plurality of spaced circular elements located in a common conical surface inwardly of which no part of the tablet extends, and a plurality of concentric surface portions in which said elements are respectively located and which respectively extend from said elements longitudinally of the tablet. said surface portions inclining outwardly with respect to said conical surface, .substantially as described.

4. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which consists of concentric adjacent stepped sections, said sections respectively no part of the tablet extends, and longitudiy nally. extending surface portions in which said elements are respectively located and .which incline outwardly with respect to said conical surface, substantially as described.

5. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet, comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which is formed of concentric adjacent stepped sections respectively having portions in a common conical surface inwardly of which no part of the tablet extends, portions at an angle to said first portions and respectively intersecting the latter, and a hollow'reinforcin,f` element embedded in said main portion, substantially as described.

6. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet, comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which is formed of concentric adjacent stepped sections respectively having portions in acommon conical surface in- ,wardly of which no part of the tablet excircular elements located in a common coni-v `cal surface inwardly of which no part of Vthe tablet extends,a plurality of concentric surface portions in w ich said elements are respectively located and which respectively extend from said elements longitudinally of the tablet, said surface portions inclining outwardly with respect to said conical surface, and a hollowreinforcing member embedded in said main portion, substantially as described. i

8. A hollow cylindrical sound record tablet comprising a main portion, the inner surface of which has a plurality of spaced cir cular elements located in a common conical surface inwardly of which no part of the tablet extends, a plurality of concentric surface portions in which said elements are respectively located and which respectively extend from said elements longitudinally of the tablet, said surface portions inclining outwardly with respect to said conical surface, and a hollow conical reinforcing member embedded in said main portion with its inner v surface substantially Hush with the bore of the 'tablet at points respectively adjacent said circular elements, substantially as described..

9. The method of forming composite sound record tablets, which consists in disposing a layer of fibrous material or fabric n n i core tlimein, and in introducing a yincl incida :material into tbe space betweciA core and mold impregnate said layer, substantially as described.

lil. The inetliod of producing sound record tablets, Wbicli consists in introducing molten nioldable material into a cylindri mold around a stepped core therein, a lowing tlie material to liarden, and removtlie core from tlie molded tablet and tlie cflded tablet from mold by straight 'ne movements, substantially as describe?.

il. rElsemethod oi producing sound rectablets, Wir-cicli consists in introducing,1 rnoten moldable materi .l into a cylindrical .mold and around a stepped core tbe-rein, al lowing tbe material to harden, separating tlie core and molded tablet from tlie mold by a straight line movement, and then separating tbe core and the molded tablet by a straight line movement, substantially as described.

.12. "llie method of producing sound record tablets, which consists in casting a tablet around a core in a cylindrical mold, separating tlie core and the tablet and separating the tablet and the mold by succes sive straight line movements, substantially as described.

13. A core around 'which a sound record new tablet is adapted to be cast, comprising a.

series of adjacent substantially cylindrical stepped portions which are of decreasing diameter from one end of the series to the other, substantially as described.

li. A core aroundl which a sound record.

`tablet is adapted to be cast, comprising a series of adjacent substantially cylindrical stepped portions, the peripheral circular elements at one end osaid portions being in a common conical surface, substantially as described.

l5. A core around which a sound record tablet is adapted to be cast, comprising a series of adjacent substantially cylindrical stepped portions, the peripheral circular ele' ments at the base of said portions being in a common conical surface, substantially as dese` l ieore around which a( sound record .L 1 .L 1 J. L

tablet is adapted to be cast comprising a series of adjacent substantially cylinln cal stepped sections, tile peripheral circular eienients at botli ends of said sections respectively being in a pair oi common conical ord tablets, a cylindrical mold, and a core- Witliin tbe mold comprising a series ci' adjacent substantially cylindrical stepped sections Wliicli decrease in. diameter from one end of tbe series to the other, substantially as described.

19. lin apparatus for molding sound record tablets, a cylindrical mold, and a core Within the mold comprising a series or" ad- A j acent substantially cylindrical stepped sections Which decrease in diameter from one end oi the series to the other, and an annular ange at one end of said series substantially fittingq the bore of the mold, substantially as described.

20. ln apparatus for molding sound record tablets, a cylindrical mold, and a core Within the mold comprising a series of adjacent substantially cylindrical stepped sections Which decrease in diameter from one end of the Series to the other', the periplieries of the stepped sections at the base thereof being in a common conical surface, substantially as described.. Y

This specification signed this 9tl1 day oi April 1919.

WILLIAM W. McWlLLlAll/S. 

